Rear end construction



Dec. 15, 1942. H. J. FRAMHEIN REAR END CONSTRUCTION original Filed July 21, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet l uw? Nw NN Dec. 15, 1942. H. J. FRAMHEIN A REAR END CONSTRUCTION Original Filed July 21, 1938 2 Sheets-She@ 2 Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,305,523 REAR END CONSTRUCTION Herbert, J. Framhen, The Yale & Towne 6 Claims.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 220,432, filed July 21, 1938, now Patent No. 2,244,875, and disclosing an improvement in the well known Walker rear end driv'e, shown in the patents to Carroll, No. 1,570,941, and Blakeslee, No. 1,919,925, owned by the Walker Vehicle Company. For convenience, in this application I shall use those reference numerals that are used in' my earlier application, to denote the same parts.

As a feature of my invention, I haveadapted the rear end of the Walker drive so that it will lend itself for cooperation with modern disk wheels of small diameter using low pressure tires of considerable width. For this purpose, I mount at each end of my rear endhousing agear case of special design, adapted tobe rotated Ias a unit by a drive shaft. Each gear. caseis formed, preferably, by the securing togetherof a main casing plate and a secondary `casing plate. The main casing plate carries the disk wheel, which is secured thereto preferably by a series of bolts extending circularly around the outside face of the plate. The brake drum is also secured to this same main plate. In addition, the internal gear of the Walker wheel drive is secured to this maincasing plate. Because of this relation of the parts, the braking stresses as well as the driving stresses are transmitted through a minimum of joints, contributing thereby a really valuable structure. The seemingly simple structural changes involved are the result of a very radical revision in the `relationship of the parts of my wheelconstruction, and mark a departure from an old and well defined practice, all as will be appreciated from astudy of the art.

Also, becauseof the relation of the wheel fastening means to the gear case, asingle form of. dished disk wheel may be used to give three wheel combinations. Thus, when the disk wheel is applied with its dished portion in one position a relatively narrow tread results, while when the wheel isrevers'ed itA yields a wider tread. Also, two wheels may' be used together with their dished portions facing in opposite directions.

I shall now referto the drawings wherein is shown a preferred modification of my invention,

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a partial section and elevation of a rear end housing of a Walker drive showing the wheels and tires and gear casing at one end thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through that portion of Fig. 1 illustrating the Chicago, Ill., assignor to Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Original a'fpplicatic'niY July 21, 1938, Serial No. 220,432. Divided and this application January 8, 1941, Serial No. 373,578

1 at one end-integrally wheel mounting. Fig. 3 is a partial section along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially Fig. 1, reference numeral I0 indicates a rear end housing which is formed of two halves suitably united in a manner which forms nopart of this invention. An armature I I of suitable commercial construction is formed about a hollow sha-ft I2, which shaft is formed Y with a flange I3, or may be united-tothat flange I3 as by welding. The fiange I3 forms substantially half of adiiferential casing, `designated generally by reference numeral I5, the other half of the casing being formed from a member I6 substantially the same in shape as the flange I3, the member I6 terminatingin a hollow shaft portion I1. The two parts I3 and I6 of the housing I5 are united by a series of bolts I8, or in any other way that may be preferred. When so united, the hollow shaft portion I1, the two parts I6 and I3, and the hollow shaft I2 form a single unit.

The shaft portion I1 is supported through bearing I9 on a bearing support 20 extending from housing I0, the bearing assembly being of suitable commercial form, the specific construction being not important here. The other end of the hollow shaft I2 is supported in a bearing support 2I through bearing 22 much in the same manner as is supported the shaft portion I1. A commutator quill is forced on to the hollow shaft I2, and supports commutator segments 24 for rotation integrally with the armature II, all as will be quite readily understood by those skilled in the art. In the arrangement so far described, armature II will rotate with the hollow shaft I2 on bearing 22 at one end, and relatively to bearing I9 on bearing support 20 at its other end, through the intermediary, of course, of the hollow shaft vportion I1. This will rotate the differential casing I5 and the mechansm associated therewith, all as is fully illustrated and described in my earlier application, whereby to rotate-the oppositely extending drive shafts 21 and 28.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, I show a preferred construction of thegear casing of my invention, and the mounting of the disk wheels and the brake band thereon, whereby the braking and driving stresses are transmitted through a minimum of joints. Also, in Figs. 2 and 3 I illustrate the manner in which I mount either one or both of oppositely dished disk wheels on the gear casing of my wheel construction. I shall describe the mounting of the gear casing and its wheels at but one end of the housing, it being understood that the said mounting is exactly the same at both ends.

'I'he rear end housing l0 of .the Walker drive is saw-cut as at 4il so that there may be inserted a suitable stub axle 42, which is keyed to the housing at 43, and is secured against endwise movement in the housing by a pin 44. The stub axle is further held by binding of the housing thereto through the bolt 45 which passes through the two ears 46 extending from the saw-cut portion of the housing, and draws the housing together. The stub axle short of a hub cap 48. TWo `pairs of ears49 extend diametrically from the stub axle, these ears being secured as by welding at l! to the stub axle. Between the ears of each pair of ears, there extends a bearing shaft 5I which lin turn supports an idler gear 52 through Vsuitableroller bearings. The pair of idler gears 52`thus carried on the pairs of ears 49 are driven by a -pinion 53 which is formed on the drive shaft 28; The idler gears 52 are in turn in driving relation to a ring gear 54. Y 'Y This ring gear is mounted about the innerperiphery of a gear casing designated generally by reference numeral-55. The gear casing'55 is formed of a secondary casing plate 56, and a main casing plate'51, the two being joined to one another and simultaneously to the ring gear 54 by a series of bolts 58. The gear casing thus formed is supported at one side thereof through the plate 56, by a bearing `59 on the stub axle 42. At its other or outer side, the gear casing 55 Yis supported through its main casing plate 51 on the bearing G relatively to the outer end ofthe stub axle 42. The hub capV 4BV previously described is mounted on screw threads 6l formed on the main plate 51 of the gear casing and covers the end thereof, it being provided with a threaded plug 62 normally closing an opening through which lubricating material may be inserted.

From the structure so far described, it will be readily appreciated that when the drive shaft 28 is rotated, it will through its gear pinion 53 rotate the idler gearsV 52, which in turn will rotate the ring gear 54 and therefore the gear casing 55, this rotation of the gear casing 55 being about the stub axle 42. It is well to note that the driving torque is submitted directly to the main casing plate 51.

The main casing plate 51 of the gear casing 55 is formed with a series of built` up portions 63 threaded for a series of boltsr64 on which are secured the disk wheels 65, to be described later. Due to the shape of the main casing plate 51 and therefore of the gear case, the bolts 64 will be secured in comparatively close lrelation to the extension of the stub axle 42. Because of the placing of the bolts in the positions indicated. made possible through the proper shaping of the gear casing, the disk wheel 65 having a relatively wide flange may be used, despite the fact that the disk wheel itself is of small diameter. This is of importance in the particular assembly,v and is one of the contributing features making it possible, in an electric drive of the Walker type, to use disk wheels with relatively wide pneumatic tires.

A brake drum 1n is also secured directly to the main casing plate 51V by a series of bolts 1l. This is made possible by the shape of the said main casing plate 51 and its relation to the entire assembly. Braking force applied against the drum 'ill will thus be transmitted to the tire on Wheel 42 terminates at; 41 just 65 through a minimum of parts and connections. 'Ihe construction I have thus shown and described, I have actually found resists eifectively any loosening of the parts incidental to the application of driving and braking stresses.

As pointed out previously in this specification, I use a type of disk wheel designated by reference numeral 65, secured through securing lugs B6 and nuts 61 on the series of bolts '64. I may use one Wheel applied as is the right hand Wheel of Figs. 1 and 2, or as is the left hand Wheel of Figs. l and 2. If I wish, I m-ay use two Wheels as shown.

y Thus, also, because of my wheel construction, I

need stock but one type of disk wheel, and yet provide customers with three different wheel mounting combinations.

The vadvantages of my construction will now be clearly understood. Since it will be quite apparentthat my contribution may be embodied in specific forms other than herein shown, I do not Wish to be vlimited therefore to any one form, but desire rather that my monopoly be limited only as required by the state of the art.

1. A rear end construction of the class described comprising a housing, a stub axle supported at each end of said housing and terminating outwardly of said housing in two pairs of ears, an idler gear supported on each pair of ears, a gear casing, bearings on said stub axle at each side of said pairs of ears, said gear casing being mounted for rotation about said stub axle on said bearings, an annular ring gear secured about the inner periphery of said gear casing and driven by said idler gears, a series of wheel securing bolts spaced circularly on the outer side of :said gear casing and substantially inwardly of the outer periphery of said gear casing, said gear case being so shaped that a suitably dished disk wheel secured to the outer surface of the gear casing through said bolts may extend inwardly so that the tire on said disk wheel will be substantially in the plane of said ring gear, while another disk wheel oppositely dished and secured to said gear casing by said bolts will extend in an opposite direction and substantially out of the plane of said ring gear.

2. A rear end construction of the class described comprising a housing, a gear casing mounted for rotation relatively to said housing, means in said housing for rotating said gear casing relatively to said housing, a main plate forming part of said kcasing and having a series of threaded bores, a tire carrying wheel, a series of bolts in said threaded bores securing said wheel directly to said main plate, and a brake drum also secured with a circular surface thereof applied directly to said main plate.

3. A rear end construction of the class described comprising a housing, a gear casing mounted at each end of said housing for rotation relatively to said housing, power means whereby said casing is rotated relatively to 'said housing, a main casing plate forming part of said gear casing, a series of wheel securing bolts spaced circularly in a series of threaded openings formed in the outer side of said main casing plate, a tire carrying disk wheel secured directly to the main casing plate through said bolts, and therefore to said gear casing, and a brake drum secured with a circular surface thereof applied directly to said main casing plate by a second series of bolts.

4. A rear end construction of the class described comprising a housing, a gear casing mounted at each end of said housing for rotation about said housing, a main casing plate and a secondary plate secured to one another to form said gear casing, an annular ring gear secured to the inner surface of said main casing plate, power means in said housing whereby rotation is imparted to said gear casing through said ring gear, a series of wheel securing bolts spaced circularly on the outer side of said main casing plate, a tire carrying Wheel secured directly to said main casing plate by said bolts and therefore to said gear casing, and a brake drum for said gear casing bolted with a circular surface thereof applied directly to said main casing plate.

5. A rear end construction of the class described comprising a housing, a stub axle supported at each end of said housing and terminating outwardly of said housing, a gear casing comprising a main casing plate and a secondary plate, bearings on said stub axle whereby said gear casing is mounted for rotation about said stub axle, an annular ring gear bolted to the main casing plate about the inner periphery of said gear casing, means extending through said stub axle for driving said ring gear and thus rotating said gear casing, a series of wheel securing bolts spaced circularly on the outer side of said main casing plate, a tire carrying disk wheel having a circular disc portion secured to the said main casing plate by said bolts, and a brake drum bolted with a circular surface thereof applied directly to said main casing plate.

6. A rear end construction of the class described comprising a housing, a stub axle supported at each end of said housing and terminating outwardly of said housing in two pairs of ears, an idler gear supported on each pair of ears, a gear casing comprising a main casing plate and a secondary plate mounted for rotation about said stub axle, an annular ring gear secured directly to said main casing plate and about the inner periphery of said gear casing and driven by said idler gears, a series of wheel securing bolts spaced circularly on the outer side of the main casing plate of said gear casing in a series of threaded openings, a tire carrying disk wheel having a disk portion tting against said main casing plate and secured directly to said main casing plate by said bolts, and a circular brake drum bolted with a circular surface thereof applied directly to the said main casing plate.

HERBERT J. FRAMHEIN. 

